"I write because I find humor in the absurdities of daily life. Sometimes I feel sadness too, and I find I can write my tears away. I write when I'm angry and feel I must right a wrong. I write when I'm touched and want others to see beauty and gentleness. I write, as many others do, because I must." -Elaine Fantle Shimberg

Gearing for The Great Burn Through Power Up Climbing

I have never been the sporty type but I usually don't back out of challenges. I tried wall climbing once, many years ago, when Power Up still has a branch in Pasig. At the time, I was younger and fitter and easily climbed up to the top.

Recently, my hubby convinced me to undergo a program where I'd commit to do wall climbing for a month and see what benefits I'd get from the activity. So last weekend, I trooped with the gang to R.O.X. in Bonifacio Global City where a new Power Up Center for Climbing and Fitness wall has been put up.

Like many uninformed individuals, I viewed indoor rock climbing in the past as something of an extreme sport. But aficionados of the activity see it as a fun day with friends who also enjoy climbing as they do. My husband has been a climber for years and, apart from that one time I mentioned earlier, I've never felt the compulsion to join him "up there".

Now that we're older, I am slowly accepting the fact that I really need to find a physical activity that would help keep me fit and prevent me from tiring out at the first sign of heavy activities. According to Power Up owner, Joey Cuerdo, climbers are not burly or bulky because they lift no more than their personal body weight. However, one has to notice that climbers develop lean physiques thanks to their numerous sessions on the wall.

Joey shared with us the science behind the climbing workout which should be now viewed differently given the fast growing fitness community in the Philippines.

Did you know? One pound equals 3500 calories? This means to lose weight, you either have to reduce the number of calories in your regular diet or burn calories through exercise. Doing both is best, of course and that the most effective weight loss plan is committing to a combination of eating fewer calories while also burning calories through physical activities.

To make it simpler: If you reduce your caloric intake by 500 per day, and if your daily workout burns 500 calories, theoretically, you will lose two pounds per week, which is a safe amount of weight loss.

me as belayer to hubby who's climbing

The calories burned for an average male, weighing 190 pounds (86 kg) is 948 calories in one hour of rock climbing. For a female weighing 163 pounds (74 kg), calories burned in one hour of rock climbing would be 813 calories. The calories burned per minute of rock climbing for an average man is 16 calories and 14 calories per minute for an average woman.

To compare: running at 8.5km/hour (10km in 1hour 10minutes) will burn 800 calories for the 190 pound person.

Power Up Center for Climbing and Fitness challenges you to see for yourself how fast you can burn your calories through wall climbing. Here's what you should do:

1. Get a climbing buddy.

2. Record your beginning weight

3. Commit to a once a week (weight loss) or a 3x a week (weight loss, strength, and engram building) climbing program

4. Commit to not excessively eating (follow your regular diet)

Aside from R.O.X. (Tel. 856-4638), Power Up Center for Climbing and Fitness is also located in 690 Tandang Sora Ave. Q.C. (Tel. 932-7273) and Centro Atletico, Cubao, Q.C. (Tel. 412-7480). For more details, please LIKE Power Up's Facebook page and follow them on Twitter.

Who is:

I am a contributing writer to various Philippine print and online publications. I blog because I enjoy writing about other topics that are not assigned by my editors. I'm a mom of four boys and wife to a man I consider my bestest friend in the world.

"I write because I find humor in the absurdities of daily life. Sometimes I feel sadness too, and I find I can write my tears away. I write when I'm angry and feel I must right a wrong. I write when I'm touched and want others to see beauty and gentleness. I write, as many others do, because I must." -Elaine Fantle Shimberg